Folding tool for braiding



Dw 1958 R. c. GRISWOLD 2,362,704

FOLDING TOOLFOB BRAIDING Filed Oct. 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. C- GRISWOLD FOLDING TOOL FOR BRAIDING Dec 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1956 12204222302 ea' 6. Grit-swam,

flfoflneg United States Patent This invention relates to a tool for folding tape or strips of cloth to prepare the strips forbraiding into rugs and slmilar articles. The present application is based, in part,

on my previous application Serial No. 435,134, filed June 8, 1954, and now abandoned.

The tool here disclosed is intended primarily for use in hand braiding. In making hand braided rugs, three of the tools are used to fold the three strips which are braided together to form the strand which is later sewed into a rug. The tool serves to fold in the raw edges of the fabric strips. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective folding tool which can be readily adjusted to accommodate strips of various thicknesses and various widths, which is easy to thread, and which will not jam when a seam in the strip passes through.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. l is a plan view of one form of the tool;

Fig. 2 is a view of the exit end of the tool of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the end of the tool in to which the strip enters;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, with a holder attached to the tool for holding a roll of strip material;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the baffle which is disposed across the entrance of the tool;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of one of the connections for a holder for a roll of stripping;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the tool;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the entrance end of the tool of Fig. 8;

Fig. '10 is a cross-section taken along line 1010 of Fig. 8;

' Fig. 11 is an elevation of the exit end of the tool of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 12 is a cross-section taken along line 1212 of Fig. 8. i r

The body of the tool illustratedin Figs. 1 through 7 consists of two generally semi-conical shells 10 and 11 which are made of metal or other relatively rigid material. The two shells are hinged together near their larger ends by means of pins 12 and 13. The upper shell has an indentation 14 near its smaller end which creates a wall shape in that region appearing as an inverted W (Fig. 2.) This double curved contour causes the raw edges of the cloth strip 15 to be folded inward, as shown in Fig. 2. The cloth strip enters through the large end of the device and, as it is pushed along, emerges folded from the small end.

Attached to shell 10 is a generally disk-shaped bafile 16 which partly covers the opening at the large end of the device. This baflle is preferably attached to shell 10 by means of a tab 17 which engages a pair of fingers 18 and 19 which are cut out from the shell. The baffie has a second tab 20 projecting in the opposite direction from tab 17. Tab 20 serves as a handle to disengage tab 17 Ice if it is desired to remove the baffle for threading the device, or for any other purpose.

A pair of rotatable vanes 21 and 22 are mounted on a pin 23 in the center of the baflle. These vanes project as far as the wall of the device and serve to center the strip on the bottom of shell 11, as shown in Fig. 3. The setting shown in Fig. 3 is suitable for a narrow strip. If the device is to be used for a wider strip the vanes may be moved to a position providing a wider entrance slot, as indicated by the dotted lines 24 and 25. The opening 26 defined by shell 11, the baffle, and the vanes is here termed the entrance slot. The baffle preferably has index markings 30 to show the correct setting of the vanes for strips of various widths.-

To adjust the device for strips of various thicknesses it is only necessary to move the shells with respect to each other to provide a larger or smaller exit opening 27.

A single size of tool constructed as here shown can be used to fold strips in a wide range of thicknesses and sizes, for example, from one inch to two and a half inches in width. The thickness adjustment feature also prevents jamming of the device when seams are encountered in the strip because of the fact that the hinged shells will tend to separate at the exit end and provide a larger opening for the seam to pass through. The pins 12 and 13 are applied suificiently tight so that the friction between the shells will ordinarily maintain the setting of opening 27 and the tool will moveout of adjustment only when an extra thickness of material, such as a seam, is passing through. To limit the closure of opening 27, shell 10 18 preferably provided with indented portions 28 and 29 which engage the edge of shell 11 to prevent the further closing of opening 27 at a predetermined point The device is first threaded by removing baffie 16 and pushing the strip through until it emerges from the small end. The shells are moved apart for threading so as to provide a wide opening at the small end. The strip is folded with the fingers at that point, and the shells are then clamped together on the folded strip.

In Fig. 4 a holder for a roll of strip material is shown attached to the folding tool. A pair of arms 33 and 34 (partly broken away) have a pin 39 running through their ends designed to be put through the center of a roll 35 of the strip material. The arms are connected to the holder in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 with respect to arm 34. The arm 34 has a hooked end 36 which is inserted through a slot -37 in shell 10 and engages an I indentation 38 on the inside of the shell. It is understood that the pin 39 may be removably secured tothe arms in any convenientmanner, for example by threading into ,the arms. When the pin and arms 'are assembled together as required for braiding.

In the tool illustrated in Figs. 8 through 12, the body 7 consists of a one-piece shell 40, open at the top, having a generally semi-conical lower portion 40a and straight upstanding side walls 4% and 400. A ring-shaped baflle 41 is permanently mounted across the entrance end of the shell by means of extensions 41a and 41b which are seated in a crimped groove 42 in the sides of shell 40. Bafile 41 forms, with the shell, an arcuate entrance slot 43. Mounted on bafile 41 are a pair of bowed leaf springs 44 and 45. Spring 44 has gripping portions 44a and 44b, which resiliently grip baifie 41 between them, and a straight leg 440 which extends radially across'slot 43. Spring 45 is similarly constructed with gripping portions 45a and 45b and an extending leg 45c,

moved to the appropriate position on baffle 41.

The shell 40 has in its side walls a first pair of vertical grooves 46 intermediate its ends, and a second pair of vertical grooves 47 disposed near the exit end. Slidably mounted in grooves 46 is. a first scroll plate.48 having curved edges 48a which perform the initial folding operations of turning in the raw edges of the strip. A second scroll plate 49 is slidably mounted in grooves 47'and has a lower edge with curved portions 49a which meet in a central peak 50. This plate completes the folding of the strip to its final form for braiding. Plate 49 has a forwardly projecting tab 51 providing a hand grip for manually raising the plate to facilitate threading.

To set the opening of slot 43 according to the widt of the strip which is to be folded, springs 44 and 45 are It is understood that this bafile, like that of Fig. 3, may be marked with index lines, Bafile plate 48 is ordinarily left raised entirely for threading and then moved down by means of tab 51 to the appropriate position according to the thicknessof the folded strip. Side walls 40b and 40c are preferably spread slightly toward the top so that plate 49 moves freely near the top, but is held in somewhat tighter frictional engagement near the bottom. This plate will thus ordinarily retain its setting but can yield upward when a seam is encountered in the strip.

Both types of holders can be readily constructed, for example, of sheet metal or plastic and are light, compact, and easy to use.

What is claimed is:

l. A tool, for folding strips in preparation for braiding to make rugs and similar articles, comprising a body having a large end opening into which the unfolded strip is inserted and a small end opening from which the folded strip emerges, folding means disposed near said small end opening, a battle mounted on said body and covering part of said large end opening, said baffie defining with said body an arcuate slot into which the strip is inserted, and a pair of vanes mounted on said baffle, said vanes extending beyond said baflle and defining the ends of the slot and being movable to vary the length of the slot according to the width of the strip.

2. A'tool as described in claim 1, said baffle having index markings indicating the proper positions of the vanes for predetermined strip widths.

3. A tool as described in claim 1, having a holder ing hooked ends, said arms projecting from the large end of the tool, slots in the tool body in which said hooked ends are received, indentations in said body engaging said hooked ends, and a roll holding means on the other ends of the arm adapted to hold the roll in alignment with said guiding means.

4. A tool, for folding strips in preparation for braiding to make rugs and similar articles, comprising a generally conical body having a large end opening into which for a roll of strip material comprising a pair of arms havthe unfolded strip is inserted and a small end opening from which the folded strip emerges, the body consisting of two generally semi-conical shells hinged together near said large end opening, the smaller ends of said shells being movable to vary the size of the small end opening, folding means disposed on one of said shells near the smaller end thereof, the same shell having a circular baffie member detachably mounted on its larger end and partially covering said larger end opening, and a pair of vanes mounted on said baffle member and rotatable thereon about an axis of substantial coincidence with that of the body, said vanes extending beyond said baffie and defining, with the baflle and the body, an arcuate slot, the length of which is variable by rotation of the vanes to accommodate strips of different widths.

5. A tool, for folding strips in preparation for braiding to make rugs and similar articles, comprising a body having a lower semi-conical portion and upstanding side wall portions, said body having a large end opening into which the unfolded strip is inserted and a small end opening from which the folded strip emerges, a first baflle plate 'mounted intermediate said ends and having curved edge portions adapted to guide a strip passing through the holder into partially folded condition, and a second bafile plate mounted adjacent said small end opening having curved lower edge portions adapted to complete the folding of the strip, said side wall portions having upright grooves and said baflle plates being slidably received in said grooves for movement toward and away from said semi-conical portion.

6. A tool for folding strips in preparation for braiding to make rugs and similar articles, comprising a body having a lower semi-conical portion, and upstanding side wall portions, said body having a large end opening into which the unfolded strip is inserted and a small end opening from which the folded strip emerges, folding means disposed on said body intermediate said openings, a baflle mounted on said body and covering pan of said large end opening, and a pair of vanes of spring material having reentrant portions frictionally and slidably gripping said bafile, and outwardly extending portions, said outwardly extending portions and said baffle defining, withsaid body, an arcuate slot, the length of which is variable by moving said vanes to receive strips of various widths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

